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The first match: a creative essay on rugby.

Winner drawn every Friday at 11am. Promotion ends April 12th, 2024.

The new boy laced his old boots in the dark, humming cloakroom. The smell of muscle rub and nervous adolescents permeated the thick air.

The flush of a toilet sobered the boys.

He observed his rituals. Right sock over the knee, folded neatly, then shoved rudely down to mid-calf, just over the go-kart scar but under the dog bite. Repeat for the left leg, covering the jagged relic of a bicycle crash, with the bright new sock of the Under-14A rugby uniform.

He tied his boots in order, with great care, and stamped the studs on the tiled floor, while he violently rubbed his hot ears. Slowly, he did his one-arm-swimming-forward one-arm-swimming-backward drill.

No-one mocked him now. A few copied his ear-rub, even more tried the opposing arm swing.

He had one new ritual, now. Andre Botha, the lanky lock he chose as his sparring partner in the first practice , and he lifted each other, alternately, back to back, with linked arms, to stretch their spines into a C-shape.

He imagined these actions formed the unwritten verses of a code. “Every man must have his code,” his old man told him, often. His dad had a certain way of speaking memorialised statements that stuck with him.

It was the first match of the season. A chilly Saturday morning.

Four weeks of hard practices had culminated in the posting, in tidy script, of the Under-14A team by Mr Steyn, on the notice board, on the brick wall, near the stairs.

Kruger, Wilkins, Slabbert, Wolhuter (vc), Nathan, Els, Theron, Chadwick, Cameron-Dow,‘Tiger’, Snowe, Botha, Raymond, Engelke, Jones (c). Reserves: Greenberg, Kriel.

The new boy was not surprised to be captain. Mr Steyn and Mr Basson had told him at the braai on the beach on the weekend before the team was announced.

“We decided to pick the worst player to be captain, hey. You up to it?”

He had bowed his head and laughed and liked the feeling of drinking a beer with these two old rascals in the wind; Mr Steyn’s pipe smoke covering him in a good stench, and Mr Basson’s mocking grin. He received one last set of cuts in Woodworking from Mr Basson a few weeks prior, for saying Mr Steyn had dagga in his pipe; Mr Basson drew a circle with chalk on the wooden floor and told the new boy: “I’ll stop hitting when you stay in the circle, rooinek “.

But now Mr Basson didn’t hit him anymore; except a sharp rap to the side of the head of Wolhuter or him when anyone was late to practice: “Why are you letting these guys come late, man?”

So, Wolhuter and he came up with the Gauntlet. Any player who showed up late to A-B practice had to crawl on all fours through the entire combined squad’s legs and take any punishment the players chose to dispense. Mr Basson never said he approved, but his eyes lit up at the sound of the Gauntlet.

For three weeks after the first practice, Mr Basson, wearing his bush clothes, veldskoene and long khaki socks, had led the mixed A and B teams on ten-kilometre runs in the forest, on the sand (with the mad coach on a scramble motorbike, shouting “ brand hom laat hy poep, meisies! ”), and finally, on early morning lopes around the tall prison walls on pine needles, using the floodlights.

Set-piece drills increased; the rotund figure of Mr Frankfurter was a constant presence for all four-packs. Mini-games ensued. Tackle-in-a-box. The backs came up with set plays. They even played a little internal tournament. The boys were hardened and happier.

As the first game loomed, the players still in the A-B practices anticipated Mr Steyn’s team announcements on Monday morning. Mr Ryan and Mr Engelbrecht announced the Under-14C and D teams on Friday.

Mr Steyn posted both the A and B team sheets himself. The boys waited until the smell of his pipe disappeared, and then rucked and mauled to take a look.

The new boy didn’t move from the stairs until the crowd thinned.

Wolhuter’s vice-captaincy was not a shock. He could shirk tackles better than anyone, got his arms through attempted tackles to flip passes to feed his teammates’ diamond-shaped support lines, and could fix a defender, only to flip a subtle late pass. They didn’t fight any more, but the new boy thought maybe he’d like to have another crack some time.

It was the surname ‘Engelke’ at right flank that puzzled him. Sakkie Engelke was so darkly freckled he was often mistaken for being coloured. His mother was Portuguese, or so they said. His father owned a garage. Sakkie was quick, but not large. He had a habit of telling leper jokes (‘the leper laughed his head off’ and ‘the leper played poker; but threw his hand in’) that fell flat.

Most of the boys lived in the same leafy streets, with concealed houses behind terraced hedges and thick white walls, festooned with hydrangeas and decrepit tennis courts. Sakkie lived near the chutney factory.

The other name that made him think was Els at flyhalf. Alan Els was a phenomenal sportsman; as good at squash or swimming or golf as rugby. He could convert from the touchline, and drop kick with either foot, but the new boy, now captain, could not remember seeing Alan tackle.

At the braai , Mr Steyn made a few remarks. He had his pipe in his hand, and from time to time would rap it on one of his large knuckles. They had never heard him speak in complete sentences. His glasses were tinted, his shoes had zippers, and it was said that he knew more about Charles Manson than the FBI. A quieter rumour had it that he voted Progressive, which would make him more like the students and their families than the average Afrikaner coach.

Within a few seconds, it was obvious that Mr Steyn and Mr Basson were very different men. Mr Steyn talked about having love for the game. He had a nice voice, the new boy thought. And he liked how Mr Steyn leaned back as he delivered his remarks, his chin high. It made him look like an old Roman senator depicted in his history textbook.

Mr Steyn spoke of sportsmanship with integrity, self-mastery, selflessness, and having the “utmost respect for opponents and referees”.

He said there were two contests: “There’s the game. Most of the time, we’ll win that, but sometimes we’ll lose. But there’s also sportsmanship. That, we must always win”.

Finally, he spoke of the school’s rugby heritage. Of never having numbers on their backs, because one-touch rugby knows no position. Running rugby until they die.

It was those final comments he thought of now, as he prepared to lead the team out to the pavilion field, to face the opponent in their first match of high school rugby, in front of their families, friends, classmates, and the girl from art class, whom he now knew as Adele, a curious girl with an ability to turn him shy.

The new captain thought of Mr Steyn’s recounting of the school’s rugby history, at the braai , as the wind died down around the fire, and the sea and sky became one hue, and how he looked around at the faces of his teammates and coaches, grotesquely illuminated by the orange flames. Sakkie’s mottled face. Chadwick’s heavy brow. Alan’s lively eyes. Andre’s big shoulders and long head. Wolhuter’s stare. Like some ancient tribe of near-fatherless belligerents plotting the siege of a city, sobered at the task and quiet and hungry by the sea, burning their boats to commit, and nothing else to hold on to or remember or regret.

He was thinking of the lineout calls when Mr Basson walked in, wearing a brown suit and a tie that combined all that was dreadful about the Seventies in one small polyester swatch.

“OK, guys. It’s a full house out there. Everyone and their horse is here, hey. I was a little hard on you guys. But now you ready. Every guy here is fit. The other team – you going to see them in a minute, so I tell you right now, they bigger than you. But they not as fit. I think they eating on the bus when they came today. I made you run. You ready. We run these naaiers until they braak blerrie biscuits.”

This made them all laugh, which might have been the mad genius of Mr Basson, because the other thing the new captain thought was ‘they must be huge’.

The smell of his new jersey, brilliantly hooped in a miniature version of Western Province’s strip blended with the odour of first match fear, and from the windows, giving on to the old pavilion from the turn of the century, wafted in the smell of what was coming: the sodden smell of the thick, pampered grass in the watershed of the gorges that gushed from the backside of Table Mountain.

Mr Steyn arrived and they all stood. He nodded to the new boy, his captain, and his smile suggested that it was time for a few words, before they took to the field.

“OK. It’s time. Everyone do their job. Forwards, win the ball. Alan, keep us in their half. Backs, look for a bit of space but have the ball ready. Look for Wollie.”

Wolhuter looked at the new captain and nodded. The team felt the magic when two big dogs in one pack become friends. The new boy knew he had to find his ending.

There were a few seconds of silence. His old habit of stuttering was threatening. He did just what the speech teacher had taught him. He breathed a little deeper, rearranged his beginning, and slowed down.

The cloakroom was silent, save for the sound of the drip of the showers.

“Be fearless. You only get hurt when you try not to get hurt.”

He looked at Sakkie. The freckled flank was swallowing. The new captain understood the feeling.

He looked around the circle. “When you do something, do it hard. Hit your man one time. Put him down or try to turn him or stand him up and Sakkie and I will come pinch it.”

Most of them nodded, even Mr Basson. In a few words, a plan.

He turned to Wollie. The powerful centre said: “Let’s go guys. Make them wish they never got off the bus.”

And they filed out of the cloakroom, down the steps, into the old pavilion with the mountain just behind, and took the field.

Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast .  If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp .  Chances are you’re about to lose.  Set a deposit limit.

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Why I Love Rugby: The Game and Its Values

Today (September 18), the seventh Rugby World Cup will kick off in London, with tournament hosts England taking on the Pacific Island nation of Fiji. For rugby fans, the World Cup is the biggest event on the sporting calendar.

But if you have no inkling what I’m talking about, you might be asking: What is rugby all about? What exactly does the game entail, and why should anyone be interested in it?

Let me take you into my world—the exciting world of rugby.

New Zealand’s biggest game

In New Zealand, rugby is part of the air that all Kiwis breathe. While the game is popular around the world, it is the national sport here.

When I was growing up, rugby was the only game I wanted to play—pretty much as soon as I could walk. My first game was playing for the Bombay School team as a five-year-old, running around barefoot in a muddy paddock at the beginning of winter. I can’t recall if I knew exactly what I was doing, or which direction I was supposed to be going—but I do remember it as being great fun!

And we can’t mention rugby without mentioning the All Blacks, our national team—and one of the top teams in the world. Named after their trademark uniform, the All Blacks have been a uniting factor in New Zealand for more than 100 years. Indeed, rugby transcends virtually all of the divides in society in the country. Rich or poor, rural or urban, left- or right-wing, Maori or Pakeha, everyone is captivated by the All Blacks.

Whenever the All Blacks play, it is a big occasion—and even more so when they play at the World Cup. For all New Zealanders, the tournament gives us a chance to pit ourselves against the very best in the world, on the biggest stage of all.

A simple game . . . sort of

So how do you play the game? Essentially, two teams (of 15 players each) compete to gain possession of the ball (which isn’t completely round) and take it up the field into the opposition’s goal-line.

To get it there, players can run with the ball, pass it “backwards” to team-mates behind them, or kick it forward. Players in the other team without possession of the ball are allowed to tackle the player with the ball, to stop him from advancing forward.

Rugby incorporates several skills found in other games—kicking, like what footballers do, and catching and passing, like basketballers. What makes it stand out from many other games is that in rugby, you can run with the ball—and tackle people head-on. This is the most fun part of the game, but it requires a bit of courage as well, because you’re likely to end up more sore than when you first started!

Different people have different strategies when it comes to running with the ball. Some like to use their speed to run away from tacklers, some use their agility to dodge defenders, while others seem to relish the contact, running into opposing players instead of avoiding them. And that’s one of the things I love about rugby—no matter what size or shape you are, there’s always a place for you on the rugby field.

The ideals of rugby

Rugby players have always prided themselves on values such as sportsmanship, teamwork, and respect. Even though it involves a lot of contact, and everybody wants to win, what matters more is the spirit in which we play the game, and how we treat our team-mates and our opposition. It’s not just about making money or winning at all costs—it is a game that builds character.

For many years, rugby remained an amateur game, as it was felt that making it professional could dilute the values of the sport. So when it eventually turned professional, rugby teams around the world did their best to maintain and promote the values the game was built on. There is still a strong emphasis on fair play, sportsmanship, and respect for the opposition.

No wonder it is often said that “rugby is a hooligans’ game played by gentlemen”.

Rugby stars like the All Blacks’ Michael Jones and Brad Thorn, for example, were not only great players but also committed Christians who exemplified the values of the game through their actions. While rugby was clearly their passion, they knew where their priorities lay. Jones made it a point never to play rugby on a Sunday, because of his desire to honor the Sabbath. Because of this, he missed several games at the 1991 World Cup, and even missed out on selection for the 1995 tournament, because many of the knockout games were scheduled on Sundays.

Bring on the World Cup!

Over the next two months, England will become the center of the rugby world. The All Blacks will be going into the tournament as favorites, but we know that any team is capable of hoisting the William Webb Ellis trophy on October 31.

More importantly, the World Cup will be a celebration of rugby itself. I can’t wait for the kick-off!

Photo credit: Johann Stollmeier / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

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14 th Apr, 2024

How to Write an Essay About A Favourite Rugby Player

Writing various college papers is a routine task for students. Essays are among the most common types of tasks that help teachers realize how students understand the discipline and formulate their thoughts. If you are assigned to write an essay, you will spend several hours sourcing information, and after that, you will need to create a short text. Writing papers about sports and athletes has specifications, so we will try to help you with working tips in our article. Read on to find out the hacks from talented authors who often write about rugby and other sports.

What is an Essay?

Essays are academic papers that aim to teach students to explain their thoughts and ideas in comprehensive, concise, and straightforward ways. Essays can be written in various disciplines. For example, many essays are created on such disciplines as history, philosophy, ethics, marketing, English literature, etc.

If a student wants to succeed in writing essays, he or she must know the rules of research and structuring. Also, a student must be familiar with various types of essays, including admission essays, narrative essays, persuasive essays, discussion essays, explanatory essays, compare & contrast essays, etc. By the way, one can easily find all aspects related to the correct writing of various essay types online. For example, reaching out to CustomWritings.com will also help you find an effective helper who will easily write for you not only any type of essay but also a thesis paper, a speech, a dissertation, etc.

Writing an Essay About A Favourite Rugby Player

Below, you will find tips and hacks that will let you write a great essay about your favorite rugby player. We collected pieces of advice that will ultimately fit any type of essay, from narrative to descriptive. Using our universal tips will let you boost your writing performance and learn to create meaningful and flawless essays. You can also use our pieces of advice when writing papers on other topics.

Start with preparation

The successful process of writing an essay about your favorite rugby player starts with arranging your workplace. Take care about comfort in the zone you will stay in while working on an essay. The table must be situated far from loud noises. For example, if you have roommates or loud family members around, ask them to reduce their activity. If possible, switch the location to a quieter one. Many students work on essays in classrooms, in libraries, co-workings, etc.

Your workplace must be inspiring and free of unnecessary objects like food, glasses, magazines, toys, etc.

Read the instructions

A teacher who has assigned you to write an essay about your favorite rugby player will provide you with manuals. These manuals will contain core requirements for the word count, number of paragraphs, tone of voice, style of formatting (MLA, Chicago, APA), structuring/outlining, referencing, etc.

Following the instructions of a teacher is a basic way to score a good grade. However, more than just completing manuals is required to score the highest grade. For an A-grade essay about your favorite rugby player, you need to choose a non-trivial topic and provide in-depth research.

If, after reading the manuals provided to you by a teacher, you are not sure that you got all the information correctly, ask questions. It would be better to specify all before you start writing an essay.

Formulate a topic

Writing a meaningful and catchy essay about your favorite rugby player requires an author to choose a good topic. Here are several strategies for choosing a topic for a successful essay.

First, you can choose one of the topics suggested for you in the teacher’s manuals. However, most teachers want students to formulate essay topics by themselves to see how they can do it correctly.

The second way to formulate a good topic is to formulate it yourself. For example, when writing a paper about your favorite rugby player, you can describe a part of his biography and approach it creatively.

Third option for those who lack ideas on essay topics if using online title generating tools. These instruments allow you to get several ideas of topics by entering only several keywords.

Remember that choosing an inspiring topic will make it easier for you to write a great paper that will be interesting to your readers.

Collect information

Any essay about sports requires patience when collecting information. The quality of research you provide defines the result of your work. All data must be checked and taken only from trusted books, sites, and other sources. It would be great if you included some fragments of interviews with players. The sources you used must be properly arranged and cited to avoid issues when a teacher checks for plagiarism in your essay.

Generate the main thesis

A successful essay requires an author to generate the core idea. It must be a statement that you will explain in detail and add arguments proving that you are right. The main statement must be highlighted in the introduction of an essay. A correctly formulated thesis statement contains a questionable fact, so readers can relate to the case by agreeing with it or forming their own opinion. The main thesis must be explained in detail in the body of an essay.

Outline and draft

If you lack time before the deadline or want to optimize the process of writing an essay, combine the stages of drafting and structuring. Drafting an essay will let you not only generate several fresh ideas, but also make notes related to sources. A patiently written draft that contains many additional information will help you to structure your thoughts.

Start writing a draft of an essay with an introduction. This part of a draft must provide information about the topic and introduce the main thesis. After you finish drafting and proceed with writing an essay, you will need to add an introduction with some hooks to catch the attention of readers. But in the stage of drafting, it would not be necessary to do so.

To draft the main body of an essay, you need to write down all the statements that support your main thesis. The number of these supporting statements will define the number of paragraphs in your paper. When you add the draft with more information, remember to make sentences and paragraphs cohesive.

The last component of the draft would be a conclusion. An essay should be wrapped up with a clear summary that will repeat the core ideas. This section does not require additional information. However, one can suggest some ideas or topics for other essays.

Edit an essay

After you finish writing an essay and provide all details related to a to[pic, start the stage of editing. Proofreading is a several-stage process that not only reduces grammar mistakes but also requires an author to get rid of punctuation errors, typos, repeated words, etc. Quality editing also requires an author to check all the dates, names, surnames, etc. By spending time to polish your essay patiently, you will avoid problems related to issues that happened because you missed attention.

Essays are popular tasks that teachers use as instruments of estimation of students’ ability to formulate thoughts in a convincing and precise manner. To write a good essay about your favorite rugby player, you must go through the instructions provided by a teacher and follow all the requirements. Choosing a non-trivial topic and a clear formulation will add to your scores as teachers appreciate creativity. After, you need to generate the main thesis highlighting your core idea. By combining the stages of drafting and structuring, you will sufficiently save time. By spending enough time reducing errors and polishing the text, you will raise your chances of scoring a high grade. We wish you good luck!

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Football and Rugby Compare & Contrast Essay

In life, there are a number of things that can either be compared or contrasted. Comparing involves the drawing of similarities that may exist between two or more things. Contrasting, on the other hand, focuses on identifying the aspects that differentiates the things under consideration. The essay seeks to compare football and rugby. It will discuss the similarities that exist between them which include; the playing field, advancing the ball, and tackles and blocks.

As much as there may be some clear differences between football and rugby, there are obvious similarities. The first one is in the measurements of the playing field.

Football, especially in America, is usually played on a field measuring 110 meters which is equivalent to 120 yards long by 49 meters in width. On both extremes of the longer side is a goal line, separated by 100 yards. The scoring area is marked 10 yards from each of the goal line. The area is referred to as end zone. The yard lines cross the field at an interval of 5 yards.

Moreover, two rows are marked to run parallel to the side lines and are close to the middle of the field. Two goal posts are found beyond the end zones. The goal posts are usually 18.5 feet apart. However, they are 24 feet in the case of high school games. The two posts are connected by a cross bar which is 10 feet above the ground. In most cases, the goal posts may take the shape of letter ‘H’ or sometimes the letter ‘Y’.

Similarly, for a rugby field, it measures 131 yards (120 meters) in length and about 60 meters in width giving it a rectangular shape. There are lines drawn across the field at an interval of 10 meters. About 6 to 12 meters beyond the goal lines, there is an in-goal region. Just like in football, there are two goal posts at each end and normally takes the shape of letter ‘H’.

Secondly, football shares some similarity with rugby when it comes to the way of advancing the ball. In football, the team holding the ball (offense side) has 4 “downs”, to try and advance the ball 10 yards in the direction of the end zone. If the offense side manages to gain 10 yards, it qualifies for a set of 4 downs. When the offensive side fails to gain the 10 yards, then it looses possession.

Instances which lead to the end of a down include; the player holding the ball is tackled by the defensive side, an attempt to pass the ball forward goes beyond the lines or it touches the ground before it is caught 4 times (results in an incomplete pass), when the player with the ball is pushed out or goes out of the field boundaries, and also, a down ends when a team scores. The method of advancing the ball is closely related to the six-tackle rule in rugby.

The offensive team has 6 chances to tackle before it looses that ball possession. In football, the ball is advanced either by the player holding the ball running (rushing) with it or by passing the ball forwards to a colleague. While rushing, a player can opt to hand the ball over to another player. This is commonly known as a handoff. On the other hand, the ball in rugby is advanced by either running with it just like in football or kicking it to the front and going after it.

Thirdly, football and rugby have similar tactics of tackling and blocking opponents. Both games allow the bringing down of the player holding the ball in order to prevent any advancement towards scoring. Once the player is tackled, the play starts again on the following tackle or down.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, June 26). Football and Rugby. https://ivypanda.com/essays/football-and-rugby/

"Football and Rugby." IvyPanda , 26 June 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/football-and-rugby/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Football and Rugby'. 26 June.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Football and Rugby." June 26, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/football-and-rugby/.

1. IvyPanda . "Football and Rugby." June 26, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/football-and-rugby/.

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IvyPanda . "Football and Rugby." June 26, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/football-and-rugby/.

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How to Write an Essay About A Favourite Rugby Player

Writing various college papers is a routine task for students. Essays are among the most common types of tasks that help teachers realize how students understand the discipline and formulate their thoughts. If you are assigned to write an essay, you will spend several hours sourcing information, and after that, you will need to create a short text. Writing papers about sports and athletes has specifications, so we will try to help you with worki…

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14 Best Books About Rugby For Sports Enthusiasts

If you want to learn more about rugby, we have reviewed the best books about rugby for you to check out. Discover our top 14 recommendations in this round-up.

While many people are fans of American football, a similar sport has been played for much longer. That sport is rugby, and there are lots of famous rugby leagues all over the world. There is even a Rugby World Cup that takes place from time to time. Some of the most dominant rugby-playing countries in the world include England (the Rugby Lions) and New Zealand (the All Blacks).

If you are interested in becoming a rugby player, you may want to learn more about this sport by reading a few books. Learn about some of the top sportsbooks about rugby below.

1. Confessions of a Rugby Mercenary, by John Daniell

2. sevens heaven, by ben ryan, 3. winning by clive woodward, 4. engage: the fall and rise of matt hampson, by paul kimmage, 5. longy – sean long with nick appleyard, 6. no borders: playing rugby for ireland – tom english, 7. brothers in arms, by david beresford, 8. beware of the dog – brian moore, 9. legacy, by james kerr, 10. heart and soul – trevor brennan with gerry thornley, 11. this sporting life, by david storey, 12. my life and rugby, by eddie jones, 13. endless winter: the inside story of the rugby revolution, by stephen jones, 14. the champion’s mind, by jim afremow.

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Confessions of a Rugby Mercenary , by John Daniell, is the story of John Daniell, a native of New Zealand who moved to France to play professional rugby. Adjusting to the life of a professional rugby player is not always easy, but it is an all-access tale. It contains a lot of insights into what it is like to play professional rugby, and he openly admits to being a mercenary. He plays in fights through injuries, holding nothing back as he describes the harrowing tale. It is also a beautiful story about life for those playing professional rugby in France during that time.

• Hardcover Book
• Ryan, Ben (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 320 Pages - 10/01/2019 (Publication Date) - Weidenfeld & Nicolson (Publisher)

Qualifying to play rugby in the Olympics can be a story of absolute chaos. But, that is exactly what happened for Fiji, as the small island nation pursued its Olympic dream. Sevens Heaven , by Ben Ryan, comes from the perspective of Ryan, who took over the team in 2013. Then, he led the rugby sevens not only to the Olympics but also to the gold medal, winning it in Rio in 2016. Fiji is not a nation with a lot of equipment and resources but has some of the world’s most talented players. That ultimately drove them to their success, and you can learn about their journey by checking out the story for yourself.

“The standards you walk by become your standard.” Sevens Heaven, by Ben Ryan

There are a lot of challenges that come with playing in the Rugby World Cup, let alone winning it, but Winning ! By Clive Woodward gives people an insight into what it is like. In 2003, he had the best squad in the world. But, he still had to bring them together, improve their teamwork, and put them in a position to be successful. This is a great book that gives people an insight into what it is like for those looking to create a team that can be successful at the highest level. It can also be a source of inspiration for players and coaches who want to enjoy the same level of success.

“Our success has not been a continual series of victories. We have had several devastating setbacks; how these are handled is the making of a great team… winning does not happen in straight lines. Concentrate on measuring performance and winning will take care of itself.” Winning ! By Clive Woodward

• Kimmage, Paul (Author)
• 416 Pages - 07/24/2012 (Publication Date) - Simon & Schuster UK (Publisher)

If you are looking for a harrowing story about rugby that can also serve as a source of inspiration, then you might be interested in Engage: The Fall and Rise of Matt Hampson  by Paul Kimmage. This is a beautiful story told by Hampson, who recounts precisely what happened in that situation. Ultimately, he was engaged in a horrible incident that resulted in him being paralyzed from the neck down. But on the other hand, it has a nice touch of humor and describes an uplifting experience.

“Progress is slow, but progress is progress” Engage: The Fall and Rise of Matt Hampson , by Paul Kimmage

• Long, Sean (Author)
• 270 Pages - 11/01/2010 (Publication Date) - John Blake (Publisher)

Many people are looking for an easier read, and you might have more luck with Longy – Sean Long with Nick Appleyard. This book is less about rugby and more about what life is like for Sean Long himself. He enjoyed a long career with multiple teams, but the story is about brawls, alcohol, sex, and scandals.

Long shares plenty of anecdotes about his career along the way, and you will get an excellent insight into what life was like for one of the most polarizing players ever to play professional rugby. It is not precisely a chronological play-by-play account of his playing days, but it will give you a lovely backdrop of what was going through his mind at the time. Check out these essays about badminton.

“When we got back to St Helens, I was incapable of doing interviews or anything like that. I’d had precious little sleep and shitloads of booze – I was a drunker version of Freddie Flintoff after England won the Ashes in 2005!” Longy – Sean Long with Nick Appleyard

• English, Tom (Author)
• 384 Pages - 01/08/2019 (Publication Date) - Arena Sport (Publisher)

If you are looking for an entertaining read that includes interviews with hundreds of professional players, then you may want to check No Borders: Playing Rugby for Ireland – Tom English. This is a comprehensive history of what life is like to play Irish rugby, and it focuses on those who are professionally involved. The book explores a wide variety of important topics. It discusses the challenges of fielding a team from Ireland and has a lot of humor and wit behind the stories.

• David Beresford (Author)
• 417 Pages - 09/11/2019 (Publication Date) - David Beresford (Publisher)

Brothers in Arms , by David Beresford, is a book that focuses on interviewing stars from a bygone era. He strives to learn more about rugby, culture, cuisine, and what life is like for those who played rugby on the biggest stage in the world. This rare book allows readers to learn about the backdrop of the sport and what takes place behind the scenes. So many people have difficulty envisioning what life is like for these players when they leave the pitch. Now, they have a better opportunity to do so. As a result, this has become one of the best books about rugby of all time.

• Moore, Brian (Author)
• 352 Pages - 02/01/2011 (Publication Date) - Simon & Schuster UK (Publisher)

Beware of the Dog is another beautiful autobiography about one of the most famous rugby players. Brian Moore is a commentator for the BBC, but he competed internationally for England during his career. He was also known as the hard man on the pitch and frequently the enforcer on the field. Because of the nature of his childhood, it also includes some disturbing tales. That being said, they are central to his life, and that is one of the reasons why Beware of the Dog – Brian Moore has become one of the most popular books about rugby even to this day.

“As a game of violent collisions, it allowed me to fire into rucks and mauls quite legally and yet with as much force as I could muster.” Beware of the Dog – Brian Moore

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Kerr, James (Author)
• 225 Pages - 11/07/2013 (Publication Date) - Constable (Publisher)

One of the best parts about playing rugby is that there are a lot of lessons you can take from the sport and apply to other areas of your life. That is precisely what Legacy , by James Kerr, seeks to do. The All Blacks are among the most famous rugby teams but are far from role models. They have made their fair share of mistakes along the way and remain a controversial team. That being said, there are a lot of positives that people can take from their stories, and their lessons can be applied to a wide variety of areas throughout our lives.

“Personal meaning is the way we connect to a wider team purpose. If our values and beliefs are aligned with the values and beliefs of the organization, then we will work harder towards its success. If not, our individual motivation and purpose will suffer, and so will the organization.” James Kerr, Legacy

• Brennan Trevor (Author)
• 04/05/2024 (Publication Date) - Red Rock Press (Publisher)

Everyone has a slightly different path they take to the world of professional rugby, and Trevor Brennan’s path was undoubtedly that. Everyone can learn about his unusual path in Heart and Soul – Trevor Brennan with Gerry Thornley. Brennan is a player who has a reputation for his utmost honesty on the field, but he was also involved in his fair share of antics off the field. Initially, he was banned for life for attacking a fan. Now, everyone gets a chance to look closely at his journey.

• Storey, David (Author)
• 248 Pages - 08/11/2015 (Publication Date) - Open Road Media (Publisher)

This Sporting Life is one of the most influential books about rugby. It tells a fantastic story focusing on characters who are focused on expressing themselves in the physical world. Still, they lack the emotional intelligence they need to be considered complete people. The characters are all professional players in a rugby league situated in a city in Northern England. What ensues is a fantastic story of personal growth that just about everybody can relate to. Furthermore, it uses rugby as the backdrop for the story, making it even easier for people to understand and empathize.

• Verhaal van een van de meest meeslepende en unieke figuren in rugby
• Ultiem rugbyboek voor alle fans van de sport
• Laat zien wat er nodig is om de beste ter wereld te zijn
• Jones, Eddie (Author)

Eddie Jones is one of the most polarizing figures in professional rugby. Some people liked him as the English coach, and others hated him. Regardless, My Life and Rugby clearly shows that he has an incredible level of self-awareness. It is our chronological story of his relationship with his sport. It starts with his upbringing, takes a closer look at his coaching career, and shares many insights into how he became the person he is today. Many people have questions about his decisions during his time as the head coach of the English team, but it also shines a critical light on the World Cup story of the English rugby team itself.

• Jones, Stephen (Author)
• 09/22/1994 (Publication Date) - Mainstream Publishing (Publisher)

Rugby has changed a lot during the decade that has been played, and one book that provides some excellent insight into that is called Endless Winter : The Inside Story of the Rugby Revolution  by Stephen Jones. This book focuses on the events in 1994, the ensuing tumult, and the new standard it set for rugby in England and worldwide. It is an easy, thrilling read that will act as an excellent recount for those alive during that time and those who were not.

• Afremow, Jim (Author)
• 288 Pages - 05/12/2015 (Publication Date) - Rodale Books (Publisher)

Sometimes, it is helpful for aspiring athletes to get insight into what a champion’s mind looks like. That is precisely what happens in The Champion’s Mind  by Jim Afremow. All rugby players can benefit from this book. They need to learn that all sports are mental before physical, and you have to put yourself in the shoes of a successful athlete if you want to be one for yourself. This book was written by a professional sports psychologist who shares a lot of advice with Olympic athletes. Now, rugby players can benefit from his advice as well.

Looking for more? Check out our guide on how to become a sports writer .

Meet Rachael, the editor at Become a Writer Today. With years of experience in the field, she is passionate about language and dedicated to producing high-quality content that engages and informs readers. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her exploring the great outdoors, finding inspiration for her next project.

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Soccer Vs Rugby: 10 Differences and 10 Similarities

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Soccer and rugby are two of the most popular sports in the world today. Firstly, they’re popular recreational activities, played by millions globally at every level.

They’re also fantastic to watch live in a stadium or on TV. Many people wonder if they have any common ground. So what are the main differences and similarities between soccer and rugby? 

There are some obvious contrasts between the two sports. From the numbers of players on each team to the shape of the ball that they play with, these are very clear.

However, they also share a lot that may surprise you. For a start, both sports originated in the United Kingdom and are field games.

Meanwhile, they involve getting a ball from one side of the field to the other while protecting your area. Even when these sports appear different, similarities arise, like in the offside rule and penalty shootouts. 

Let’s take a look at ten differences and ten differences between these two sports. 

Differences Between Soccer and Rugby

1. One Ruleset vs. Two

Soccer follows a single ruleset across the globe. Every professional team must have eleven players on the field.

This never changes regardless of continental governing bodies or competition.

In contrast, there are two types of rugby. Rugby Union is the most popular and uses 15 players. Meanwhile, Rugby Union is a faster sport with 13 players. 

2. Hands vs. Feet

Soccer players must not handle their spherical ball when it is in play. The only exception to this rule is the goalkeeper, but even he can’t pick up the ball when his player passes to him.

On the other hand, rugby players primarily use their hands to throw their oval-shaped balls at each other. Kicking is permitted but it is a secondary option. 

3. Scoring System

Anybody who watches the two sports can see a difference in the goalframes. The scoring system in soccer is simple: put the ball in the net and score a goal.

Rugby is more complicated. Players have to touch the ball down on the opponent’s side of the field to score a try. This is worth five points.

They can also score by kicking the ball between the posts and this is worth either three or two points, depending on the circumstances. 

4. The Goalkeeper

Every soccer team must have a goalkeeper in their starting lineup. This player can use their hands and feet to block the ball within their zone on the field.

Rugby doesn’t have a fixed goalkeeper because they have an entire line to protect. The closest similar position is the fullback who starts attacks and is the last line of defense. 

5. Physicality

Both sports are very physical but rugby takes a tougher toll on its athletes. Players throw themselves into tackles and don’t complain.

The same level of aggression is unacceptable in soccer. Also, soccer players are notorious for feigning or exaggerating injuries to gain an advantage. This would never happen in rugby because the player would become a pariah. 

Referees and officials receive much more respect from rugby players than their soccer players. Firstly, the captain is the only member of the team who is allowed to speak to the referee.

It’s common to see entire soccer teams swarm around the referee when they don’t like a decision. This is a smart rule in rugby because it has created a culture of respect. 

Yellow cards feature in both sports. When a player receives two, they must leave the field. However, a single yellow card has a profound impact on rugby.

This means a player must sit out for ten minutes, while the game continues without them or a replacement.

It’s common for opposition teams to score when players are sin-binned. Many soccer fans think that their sport would benefit from this system. 

8. Global Domination

While some European nations like England and France are competitive in both sports, other countries dominate.

Brazil has five FIFA World Cups to their name but makes no impression in rugby. The same can be said of New Zealand, whose All-Blacks are the most famous team in the sport.

Meanwhile, rugby fans revere the Pacific Islands for producing some of the best talents for their teams.  

9. High Scoring v Low Scoring

The nature of the two team’s scoring systems means that there is a big difference between their final scores.

It’s common for rugby teams to go deep into double digits. When teams finish the game with less than ten points, they have played very poorly.

But if a soccer team loses by a margin of five or six goals, this is a very heavy loss. The pace of the games is very different because of these rulesets.

10 . No Forward Passes

Both sports require the ball to go from one side of the field to the other. However, rugby players are unable to throw the ball forward.

Instead, they gradually move up the field as a collective, passing the ball back until one player rushes free or kicks upfield. Soccer doesn’t have any restraints like this. 

Similarities Between Soccer and Rugby

Soccer and rugby were more or less the same game until 1839 when the first rugby rules were clearly defined.

Before this, both teams used round balls and were referred to as ‘football’ in the United Kingdom.

Over time the two sports diverged dramatically from each other. 

2. Creative Hub

Both sports rely on a creative player who acts as a conduit for the rest of the team. In soccer, this takes the form of a creative midfielder who sprays passes around the field.

Rugby uses a flyhalf whose role is very similar to the quarterbacks in NFL. Flyhalves and creative soccer players also receive a lot of adulation from the fans. 

3. Playing Field

Soccer and rugby share the fact that they take place on a playing field or pitch. The dimensions of the field are slightly different but each team tries to protect their half while attacking the other side.

They also have markings on the field for different moments of the game. 

4. Penalty Shootouts

It’s the most dramatic way to finish a football match, but did you know that penalty shootouts also occur in rugby?

It’s extremely rare, but when a knockout game ends with the same score after extra time , it goes to a shootout.

Every player tries to kick the ball between the posts until somebody misses. It’s agonizing to watch but incredibly entertaining. 

5. World Cup

On an international level, the pinnacle of both sports is their respective World Cups. These take place every four years and see the best countries in the world compete for glory.

While the Rugby World Cup is a smaller scale tournament than its soccer equivalent, it’s still very entertaining and massive for the countries involved. 

6. Games of Two Halves

Rugby games last for eighty minutes and are divided into two 40 minute halves. Meanwhile, soccer games are 90 minutes with additional extra minutes in each of their halves.

Both see the teams swap sides at the end of the half. This can be an advantage or problem depending on the weather because of the wind or sun.

7. Injury Time

Usually, games in both sports go into overtime. In soccer, the referee adds a few extra minutes to make up for time lost because of injuries or substitutions.

Meanwhile, in rugby, play continues after 80 minutes until the ball goes dead. The referee won’t stop the game until an error occurs or the ball leaves the field. 

8. Attack and Defense

These are team sports so everybody on the field has a role. Different body types are required for these roles.

For example, center-backs in soccer are typically broader and stronger than attacking players. Furthermore, in rugby, the props are gigantic men with broad frames.

Their appearance is very different from the wingers, who are the most agile players on the field. 

9. Video Referee

Video replays  are a key part of both sports in the modern era. In rugby, the referee may call on the Television Match Official (TMO) to check moments of controversy.

These could be disputed tries or a potential foul. In soccer, the Video Assistant Referee fills a similar role.

The main difference between the two is that rugby referees wear a microphone so everybody can hear their rationale at the time. 

10. Offside Rule

In soccer, it is illegal to pass to one of your players if they are standing beyond the last opposition defender. At this point, they are in an offside position.

However, if they burst past the defender after the ball leaves the passer’s foot, this is fine. We talked about how rugby players can’t throw the ball forward. While this is a difference between the two sports, it is also an offside rule.